Project 10073 Record Card: Sighting near Carbondale, Illinois, 3 February 1960

This document details a UAP sighting report filed on February 3, 1960, involving a civilian pilot flying a Cessna N7416M. The pilot reported observing a silver, meteor or rocket-like object with a blaze on its top or trailing edge. The object was sighted 22 miles northwest of Carbondale, Illinois, at an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet, moving in an easterly direction. The report was initially received by St. Louis ARDC and subsequently relayed to the 2046th AACS Squadron at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The military investigation, documented via a Project 10073 record card and subsequent joint message forms, concluded that the information provided was insufficient for a definitive analysis. The investigating officers noted that they were unable to contact the pilot who made the initial report to gather further details. Additional meteorological data was provided in a follow-up message, noting scattered high overcast clouds and 6 miles of visibility at the time of the incident, but this did not lead to a resolution of the case. The file is marked as unclassified and serves as a record of the military's attempt to process the report through standard intelligence channels.